How to Fix iTunes Error 4013?

Unexpected things happen. Especially, when we try to troubleshoot our modern gadgets. If you need to restore or update your iPhone using iTunes, sometimes it may slam you in the face with unknown error 4013. Needless to say, nothing works after that. Recovering process halts and you can’t complete the procedure. What makes thing worse is that there is a little of explanation regarding this error (after all, this is an “unknown” error), thus we can’t guarantee you our tutorial will help you. Still, tips we gathered here helped a lot of people, so be sure to check everything step by step.

For your information: unknown error 4013 is related to some other error codes. If you encounter iTunes error 9, iTunes error 4005 or iTunes error 4014, use the same methods of troubleshooting.

How to Solve iTunes Unknown Error Occurred 4013?

Apple Support says these errors appear when your Windows PC or Mac loses connection with iPhone (the same goes with iPad and iPod – all iOS-devices). Let’s start with the basics.

Solving Error 4013: Update iTunes and Restart Your iPhone

Just like with any iTunes-related error, you should always check whether you have the latest version of iTunes. Update iTunes from the Settings on your Mac, from the Microsoft Store on Windows 10 or from the Help menu on other Windows-machines.

When you are sure your computer is equipped with latest iTunes version, but unknown error 4013 still appears, reboot your iPhone. A simple bug may be the reason why unknown error 4013 occurred. If you own iPhone 8 or later model, quickly press and release Volume Up button twice. After that hold the Power button until Apple logo appears. If you are a proud owner of iPhone 7 or iPhone 7 Plus, hold both Power button and Volume Down. Hold it until the Apple logo appears. If you have iPhone 6S or previous iPhone model, any iPod touch or an iPad, hold both the Home button and Power button. Keep them held until the Apple logo appears on the screen.

After your device successfully booted back, connect it to the computer using Lightning-cable and try again. Updating or restoring should be working now perfectly fine.

Troubleshooting iTunes Error 4013: Damaged Cables and Crooked Ports

Check your cable. If you are using non-genuine or non-certificated accessories (without “MFi”-logo on the box), data transfer may be not working. Also, a damaged cable could be the reason why iTunes can’t connect to your iPhone and shows error 4013.

Check your USB-port. Plug in iPhone or iPad to another port. You may also try connecting to another computer.

Error 4013: Has Your Phone Enough Storage?

If Unknown error 4013 appears when you try to update your iPhone using iTunes and nothing above worked, check whether you have enough storage free space. Depending on the iOS version, it may take up to 2 GB to successfully update iPhone or iPad. Clean up your device and try again. Also, try to update iPhone without iTunes (update from Settings > About > Software Update).

iTunes Error 4013: The Worst Scenario

A hardware-related issue might be the reason why unknown error 4013 occurred. If so, you can’t fix this on your own (unless you are well-trained Apple Service employee). If literally nothing worked, contact Apple or certified service center. They will check whether your iPhone needs some hardware repair and provide you with further guidance on how to bring the device back to work.